An FCMDB (federated configuration management database) has been developed to virtually integrate data in different types of DBs (databases). The FCMDB is a DB that can operate plural MDRs (management data repositories) in a cross-sectional manner. An MDR corresponds to an operation management middleware DB that has IT-system operation management data (real data). It may be noted that the type and quantity of data vary from MDR to MDR.
FIG. 20 is a drawing illustrating the outline of a configuration of a configuration management system. An FCMDB integrates data in the MDR for managing design information real data, data in the MDR for managing product information real data, data in the MDR for managing performance information real data, and data in the MDR for managing configuration information real data (e.g., information C″, C^, C′ may be integrated into C).
An FCMDB integrates data in different MDRs by use of the following functions. Namely, the FCMDB converts, into a common format (i.e., conversion into common format), information about configuration items (hereinafter referred to as “CI”: e.g., data about resources constituting an IT system such as a server, a storage, software, and the like) managed on an MDR-specific basis by use of different names and structures. Further, the FCMDB uses a common property having a unique value as a key to identify (i.e., reconcile) a CI that is managed by use of different local IDs in different MDs. Moreover, the FCMDB integrates information items belonging to the same CI (i.e., data integration). It may be noted that the FCMDB actually integrates data when returning data to a client. Further, the FCMDB also manages relationships between CIs (“manage” is a collective term for storing, updating, deleting, and registering).
In an example illustrated in FIG. 21, a product number is managed by different MDRs by using “S/N:XYZ123”, “PN:XYZ123”, “SERNO:XYZ123”, and “SN:XYZ123”, respectively. The FCMDB uses this common property as a key to integrate CIs managed by use of different local IDs. Namely, the FCMDB identifies CIs that are a “server” managed by the design information MDR, a “server” managed by the product information MDR, a “host” managed by the performance information MDR, and a “node” managed by the configuration information MDR, and integrates these CIs upon a client request to return it to the client.
A description of the operation of the FCMDB performed upon a client request will be given by referring to FIG. 22.
The FCMDB receives a request (i.e., query) from a client. The FCMDB collects identified CIs relating to the requested data from respective MDRs. These CIs are then integrated, and information about the integrated CI is transmitted to the client as a query result. In an example illustrated in FIG. 22, a client requests data of resource A, resource B, and resource C. In response, the FCMDB collects CIs A″, B″, and C″ from the design information MDR, a CI B* from the product information MDR, CIs A^, B^, and C^ from the performance information MDR, and CIs A′, B′, and C′ from the configuration information MDR (it may be noted that A′, A″, and A^ have been identified in advance as resource A, and the same applies for resources B and C). Collected data may be all the data in the CIs, or may be partial data in the CIs.
The FCMDB integrates the collected CIs into a query result, which is returned to the client.
The following document is known as a related-art document.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-51890